Electric gas-lighter



(No Model.) l.

C. W. HOY'LTZER.

ELECTRIC GAS LIGHTER.

Ll\0.( 82,001. Patented-May 1, 1888.

Witnesses.

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N. FETERS. Fhmmuthngnpher. waxhingmn. D4 L;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. HOLTZER, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC GAS-LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part oi' Letters Patent No. 382,001, dated May 1, 1888.

Application led J une 22, 1887. Serial No. 212,123.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAELEsW. HoLTZEE,

of Brookline, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electric Gas-Lighters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to an electric gaslighter of that class in which a gascock is turned and a vibrating electrode moved past a stationary electrode on the burner tip to produce a spark at the same operation.

In gas-lighting devices of this kind as heretofore commonly made the vibrating electrode has had a ratchet-and-pawl connection with the spindle of the gascock, and the said electrode is operated to make a complete to-andi" ro vibration each time the gas'cock is turned either to let on or shut off the gas. This construction and mode of operation is objectionable, for the reason that the external appearance of the apparatus is the sa1ne,whether the gas-cock is open or closed, and consequently, if for any reason a spark should not be produced or should fail to ignite the gas, and the operator should vibrate the electrode several times without lighting the gas, the operation might be stopped when the gas-cock was open, as the operator would not know from the appearance whether it was open or closed. The present invention is embodied in a gaslighter in which the vibrating electrode is connected with the gascock in such manner that the latter is moved by the electrode when turned in either direction, a single movement oi' the electrode in one direction operating to turn on and light the gas, and the return movement of the electrode operating to turn oft' the gas, instead of both operations of turning on and turning off the gas being effected by precisely the same double or to-and-fro movement of the electrode, as has been heretofore practiced. v v

'The vibrating electrode is provided with a spring or actuator tending to move it in one directionas, for example, to shut off the gas and with a catch or locking device to hold it against the action of such actuator after it has been moved to turn on and light the gas by means of a pendent or handle such as com- (No model.)

monly employed. The said catch or locking device is disengaged by the operator when the light is to be extinguished. The instrument thus indicates at a glance whether the gascock is in its open or closed condition, and if it fails to light after one or two trials the operator may with certainty'leave the gas-cock in its closed condition.

Figure l is a side elevation of a gas-burner provided with a lighting device embodying this invention, being shown in its closed condition; Fig. 2, a similar elevation showing the burner with the gascock open, or the parts in the position occupied while the gas is burning,

and also showing the connection between the vibrating electrode and the gas-valve; Fig. 3, a sectional detail on line a' x, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4, a longitudinal sectional detail showing the cock in cross-section.

The burner a may be of any suitable or usual construction, provided with the usual insulated electrode, b, forming one terminal of the circuit in which the spark is produced, and properly located with relation to the orifice from which the gas issues. The tubular base portion of the burnerisprovided with a gas-cock, c, of usual construction, having but a single passage which may be brought into or out from line with the passage through the burner-tube in the usual manner, as will be readily understood from Fig. 4. 'lhe said gas-cock c has connected with it avibrating arm, e, provided with a piece of spring-wire forming the electrode e', that co operates with the electrode b when the said arm e is moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2.

The arm e may be operated in any suitable manner,being shown as provided with an arm, e2, pivotallyconnected with a link, f, which may be provided with a chain and pendant, g, such as usually employed in gas-lighting apparatus of this general character. The said link f is provided with a longitudinal slot, f', terminating in a lateral recess, f, forming a shoulder at the end of the said slot. A projection, h, on an arm or bracket, h', fastened to the burner-tube in any suitable manner, as bythe bolt t', (see Fig. 3,) extends into the said slot f. Thus by drawing down on the pendant the vibrating arm e is moved from. t-he position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2, and the recess fZ receives the projection 7L, as shown in Fig. 2, so that these parts constitute a locking device that retains the arm c in the position shown in Fig. 2 until released by disengagement or the shoulder in the linkf from the projection h. As shown in this instance, the arm e is acted upon by a spring, k, connected at one end with the bolt or pin i, and at its other end with a pin or projection, e3, on the arm e?, and acting on the said arm with a tendency to move it from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, its force being resisted by the locking de vicefh for the arm e2 when eugaged,as shown in Fig. 2.

When desired to extinguish the light, the pendantg may be pulled laterally, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2, when it will disengage the recess or shoulder of the linkf from the projection h, and thus unlock the vibrating arm, which will be moved back to the position shown in Fig. l by its actuating-spring k.

The arm e is shown as provided with projections e" c5, that receive the end of the pin or boltt' between them, and thus constitute stops that limit the amount of movement of the said arm in either direction, although it is obvious that the linkf and projection h might be depended upon to limit this movement. The arm c may be connected with the spindle of the gas-cock in any suitable manner, as by the Screw c2, (shown in Fig. 1,) which might secure the said parts rigidly together. It is preferable, however, to so connect the arm with the gas-cock as to permit aslightindependent movement or lost motion between said parts. Such connection is shown in Fig. 2 as effected by a projection, m, on one part engaging a recess, m, on the other part, which recess is gas-cock with certainty,eveu if it should stick 45 a little in its socket.'

Vhile the construction of the locking device shown in this instance is convenient and effective, it is obvious that it can be modified in various ways without departing from the 5o invention.

I claiml. rlhe combination of the gas-burner pro vided with a stationary electrode and a rotating gascock with a vibrating electrode mount- 55 ed on the spindle of said gas cock, and an actuatingspring tending to turn the said electrode in one direction, and a locking device which holds the said electrode with the spring strained, the said electrode being connected 6o with the gas-cock and causing thelatter to move with it when turned in eitherdirection,sub stautially as described.

2. The combination of the burner and stationary electrode with the vibrating spring 65,

actuated electrode and locking device therefor, and the rotating gas-valve connected with Said vibrating electrode by' engaging devices admitting of a small lost motion between said electrode and gas'cock, substantially as and 7o for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub scribing witnesses.

CHARLES W. HOLTZER. Vitnesses:

Jos. P. LrvERMoRn, M. E. HILL. 

